The present invention relates to lighting systems, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for computer-based control of various light sources that may be coupled together to form a networked lighting system.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor-based light sources often employed in low-power instrumentation and appliance applications for indication purposes. LEDs conventionally are available in a variety of colors (e.g., red, green, yellow, blue, white), based on the types of materials used in their fabrication. This color variety of LEDs recently has been exploited to create novel LED-based light sources having sufficient light output for new space-illumination applications. For example, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,038, multiple differently colored LEDs may be combined in a lighting fixture, wherein the intensity of the LEDs of each different color is independently varied to produce a number of different hues. In one example of such an apparatus, red, green, and blue LEDs are used in combination to produce literally hundreds of different hues from a single lighting fixture. Additionally, the relative intensities of the red, green, and blue LEDs may be computer controlled, thereby providing a programmable multi-color light source. Such LED-based light sources have been employed in a variety of lighting applications in which variable color lighting effects are desired.
One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method, comprising acts of: A) transmitting data to an independently addressable controller coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device, the data including at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the controller to the at least one other controllable device, and B) controlling at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method, comprising acts of: A) receiving data for a plurality of independently addressable controllers, at least one independently addressable controller of the plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device, B) selecting at least a portion of the data corresponding to at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one other controllable device, and C) controlling at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the selected portion of the data.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a lighting system, comprising a plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled together to form a network, at least one independently addressable controller of the plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device, and at least one processor coupled to the network and programmed to transmit data to the plurality of independently addressable controllers, the data corresponding to at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one other controllable device.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus for use in a lighting system including a plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled together to form a network, at least one independently addressable controller of the plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device. The apparatus comprises at least one processor having an output to couple the at least one processor to the network, the at least one processor programmed to transmit data to the plurality of independently addressable controllers, the data corresponding to at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one other controllable device.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus for use in a lighting system including at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device. The apparatus comprises at least one controller having at least first and second output ports to couple the at least one controller to at least the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device, respectively, the at least one controller also having at least one data port to receive data including at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the first output port to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the second output port to the at least one other controllable device, the at least one controller constructed to control at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method in a lighting system including at least first and second independently addressable devices coupled to form a series connection, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source. The method comprises an act of: A) transmitting data to at least the first and second independently addressable devices, the data including control information for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices, the data being arranged based on a relative position in the series connection of at least the first and second independently addressable devices.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method in a lighting system including at least first and second independently addressable devices, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source. The method comprises acts of: A) receiving at the first independently addressable device first data for at least the first and second independently addressable devices, B) removing at least a first data portion from the first data to form second data, the first data portion corresponding to first control information for the first independently addressable device, and C) transmitting from the first independently addressable device the second data.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a lighting system, comprising at least first and second independently addressable devices coupled to form a series connection, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source, and at least one processor coupled to the first and second independently addressable devices, the at least one processor programmed to transmit data to at least the first and second independently addressable devices, the data including control information for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices, the data arranged based on a relative position in the series connection of at least the first and second independently addressable devices.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus for use in a lighting system including at least first and second independently addressable devices coupled to form a series connection, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source. The apparatus comprises at least one processor having an output to couple the at least one processor to the first and second independently addressable devices, the at least one processor programmed to transmit data to at least the first and second independently addressable devices, the data including control information for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices, the data arranged based on a relative position in the series connection of at least the first and second independently addressable devices.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus for use in a lighting system including at least first and second independently controllable devices, at least one device of the independently controllable devices including at least one light source. The apparatus comprises at least one controller having at least one output port to couple the at least one controller to at least the first independently controllable device and at least one data port to receive first data for at least the first and second independently controllable devices, the at least one controller constructed to remove at least a first data portion from the first data to form second data and to transmit the second data via the at least one data port, the first data portion corresponding to first control information for at least the first independently controllable device.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a lighting system, comprising an LED lighting system adapted to receive a data stream through a first data port, generate at least one illumination condition based on at least a first portion of the data stream, and communicate at least a second portion of the data stream through a second data port. The lighting system also comprises a housing adapted to retain the LED lighting system and electrically associate the first and second data ports with a data connection comprising an electrical conductor with at least one discontinuous section having a first side and a second side that is electrically isolated from the first side. The housing is adapted such that the first data port is electrically associated with the first side of the discontinuous section and the second data port is electrically associated with the second side of the discontinuous section.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus, comprising a data recognition circuit adapted to process at least a first portion of a data stream received by the apparatus, an illumination control circuit coupled to the data recognition circuit and adapted to generate at least one illumination control signal in response to the processed first portion of the data stream, and an output circuit adapted to transmit from the apparatus at least a second portion of the data stream.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of controlling a plurality of lighting systems, comprising acts of communicating a data stream to a first lighting system of the plurality of lighting systems, receiving the data stream at the first lighting system and reading at least a first portion of the data stream, generating at least one lighting effect at the first lighting system in response to the first portion of the data stream, and communicating at least a second portion of the data stream to a second lighting system of the plurality of lighting systems.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an integrated circuit to control at least one illumination source, comprising a data reception circuit, an illumination control signal generation circuit coupled to the data reception circuit, and a clock generating circuit coupled to the data reception circuit. The data reception circuit is adapted to extract information from serial data input to the integrated circuit in coordination with a clock pulse generated by the clock generating circuit, and the illumination control signal generation circuit is adapted to generate at least one illumination control signal to control the at least one illumination source based on the extracted information.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an integrated circuit, adapted to read serial data input to the integrated circuit so as to directly control at least one LED, wherein the integrated circuit is adapted to read the serial data without the aid of an external frequency reference.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an integrated circuit, comprising a data reception circuit, a data transmission circuit, an illumination control signal generation circuit, and a voltage reference circuit, wherein the voltage reference circuit is adapted to regulate current provided by the illumination control generation circuit.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus adapted to process serial data and to control at least one LED in response to the serial data, comprising a counter circuit adapted to measure a first period between a first edge of a first polarity of the serial data and a second edge of the first polarity of the serial data. The counter circuit is further adapted to measure a second period between the first edge of the first polarity of the serial data and a first edge of a second polarity of the serial data. The counter circuit is further adapted to compare the second period with a predetermined fraction of the first period to determine if the serial data is in a first state.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an integrated circuit adapted to read serial data and to control at least one LED in response to the serial data, comprising a counter circuit adapted to measure a number of data transitions of the serial data within a predetermined period and determine if the data transitions represent a first data state.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an integrated circuit, comprising a power input pin adapted to receive external power, a ground pin adapted to connect the integrated circuit to a common reference potential, a reference pin adapted to connect to an external component to provide the integrated circuit a reference from which to regulate at least one LED, a serial data input pin for receiving serial data, a serial data output pin for transmitting serial data, and at least one switchable constant current output pin adapted to control the at least one LED.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of processing serial data to control at least one LED in response to the serial data, comprising acts of: (A) measuring a number of data transitions of the serial data within a predetermined period; and (B) determining if the data transitions represent a first data state based on the act (A).